Steve Riggs has filed an amendment to House Bill 166 to allow wet counties to keep their alcohol tax revenue.
“I certainly respect the fact that many Kentuckians oppose local alcohol sales, but I also believe that they should not expect any benefit from them either,” said Rep. Riggs, D-Louisville. “Louisville, for example, doesn’t get any direct revenue from the coal severance tax because we don’t mine coal. The same principle should apply to alcohol sales. If this amendment becomes law, it would give us more resources to police underage drinking and DUIs. I think it’s common sense.”
“We have a very unfair situation that takes alcohol taxes from wet communities and gives them to dry communities,” Rep. Riggs added. “To remain consistent with their beliefs, dry counties should not desire alcohol money.”
Note: In 2008, alcohol taxes brought in $107 million in Kentucky. And we predict more counties will turn “wet” just a few heartbeats from now.
We love this idea. Your thoughts?
3 responses so far ↓
1 Deborah Kent // Feb 6, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Commendations to Rep. Riggs – a great idea, and I hope it will survive the torrent of hypocritical whining we’ll hear from the the self-righteous.
2 Deborah Kent // Feb 6, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Great idea, and commendations to Rep. Riggs. It may not work, but it sure will offer an opportunity for hypocritical whining in the hinterlands.
I’m pretty sure David Williams’ is from a dry county, so he’ll make sure this inconvenient bit of budget wisdom fails.
3 Bimbeau // Feb 6, 2009 at 4:30 pm
All revenues of the state should be treated equitably. This includes seveance and spirit taxes.
If a county wishes to reject revenues because the county doesn’t aprove of the source, well share and share alike else where – say good-bye to the money. See how long they stay in office.
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